English
Alargerose–treestoodneartheentranceofthegarden:therosesgrowingonitwerewhite,buttherewerethreegardenersatit,busilypaintingthemred.
Alicethoughtthisaverycuriousthing,andshewentnearertowatchthem,andjustasshecameuptothemsheheardoneofthemsay,'Lookoutnow,Five!
Don'tgosplashingpaintovermelikethat!'
'Icouldn'thelpit,'saidFive,inasulkytone;'Sevenjoggedmyelbow.'
OnwhichSevenlookedupandsaid,'That'sright,Five!Alwayslaytheblameonothers!'
'YOU'Dbetternottalk!'saidFive.'IheardtheQueensayonlyyesterdayyoudeservedtobebeheaded!'
'Whatfor?'saidtheonewhohadspokenfirst.
'That'snoneofYOURbusiness,Two!'saidSeven.
'Yes,itIShisbusiness!'saidFive,'andI'lltellhim—itwasforbringingthecooktulip–rootsinsteadofonions.'
Sevenflungdownhisbrush,andhadjustbegun'Well,ofalltheunjustthings—'whenhiseyechancedtofalluponAlice,asshestoodwatchingthem,andhecheckedhimselfsuddenly:theotherslookedroundalso,andallofthembowedlow.
'Wouldyoutellme,'saidAlice,alittletimidly,'whyyouarepaintingthoseroses?'
FiveandSevensaidnothing,butlookedatTwo.
Twobeganinalowvoice,'Whythefactis,yousee,Miss,thishereoughttohavebeenaREDrose–tree,andweputawhiteoneinbymistake;andiftheQueenwastofinditout,weshouldallhaveourheadscutoff,youknow.
Soyousee,Miss,we'redoingourbest,aforeshecomes,to—'AtthismomentFive,whohadbeenanxiouslylookingacrossthegarden,calledout'TheQueen!TheQueen!'
andthethreegardenersinstantlythrewthemselvesflatupontheirfaces.
Therewasasoundofmanyfootsteps,andAlicelookedround,eagertoseetheQueen.
Firstcametensoldierscarryingclubs;thesewereallshapedlikethethreegardeners,oblongandflat,withtheirhandsandfeetatthecorners:nextthetencourtiers;thesewereornamentedalloverwithdiamonds,andwalkedtwoandtwo,asthesoldiersdid.
Afterthesecametheroyalchildren;thereweretenofthem,andthelittledearscamejumpingmerrilyalonghandinhand,incouples:theywereallornamentedwithhearts.
Nextcametheguests,mostlyKingsandQueens,andamongthemAlicerecognisedtheWhiteRabbit:itwastalkinginahurriednervousmanner,smilingateverythingthatwassaid,andwentbywithoutnoticingher.
ThenfollowedtheKnaveofHearts,carryingtheKing'scrownonacrimsonvelvetcushion;and,lastofallthisgrandprocession,cameTHEKINGANDQUEENOFHEARTS.
Alicewasratherdoubtfulwhethersheoughtnottoliedownonherfacelikethethreegardeners,butshecouldnotremembereverhavingheardofsucharuleatprocessions;'andbesides,whatwouldbetheuseofaprocession,'thoughtshe,'ifpeoplehadalltoliedownupontheirfaces,sothattheycouldn'tseeit?'
Soshestoodstillwhereshewas,andwaited.
WhentheprocessioncameoppositetoAlice,theyallstoppedandlookedather,andtheQueensaidseverely'Whoisthis?'ShesaidittotheKnaveofHearts,whoonlybowedandsmiledinreply.
'Idiot!'saidtheQueen,tossingherheadimpatiently;and,turningtoAlice,shewenton,'What'syourname,child?'
'MynameisAlice,sopleaseyourMajesty,'saidAliceverypolitely;butsheadded,toherself,'Why,they'reonlyapackofcards,afterall.Ineedn'tbeafraidofthem!'
'AndwhoareTHESE?'saidtheQueen,pointingtothethreegardenerswhowerelyingroundtherosetree;for,yousee,astheywerelyingontheirfaces,andthepatternontheirbackswasthesameastherestofthepack,shecouldnottellwhethertheyweregardeners,orsoldiers,orcourtiers,orthreeofherownchildren.
'HowshouldIknow?'saidAlice,surprisedatherowncourage.'It'snobusinessofMINE.'
TheQueenturnedcrimsonwithfury,and,afterglaringatherforamomentlikeawildbeast,screamed'Offwithherhead!Off—'
'Nonsense!'saidAlice,veryloudlyanddecidedly,andtheQueenwassilent.
TheKinglaidhishanduponherarm,andtimidlysaid'Consider,mydear:sheisonlyachild!'
TheQueenturnedangrilyawayfromhim,andsaidtotheKnave'Turnthemover!'
TheKnavedidso,verycarefully,withonefoot.
'Getup!'saidtheQueen,inashrill,loudvoice,andthethreegardenersinstantlyjumpedup,andbeganbowingtotheKing,theQueen,theroyalchildren,andeverybodyelse.
'Leaveoffthat!'screamedtheQueen.'Youmakemegiddy.'Andthen,turningtotherose–tree,shewenton,'WhatHAVEyoubeendoinghere?'
'MayitpleaseyourMajesty,'saidTwo,inaveryhumbletone,goingdownononekneeashespoke,'weweretrying—'
'Isee!'saidtheQueen,whohadmeanwhilebeenexaminingtheroses.'Offwiththeirheads!'
andtheprocessionmovedon,threeofthesoldiersremainingbehindtoexecutetheunfortunategardeners,whorantoAliceforprotection.
'Youshan'tbebeheaded!'saidAlice,andsheputthemintoalargeflower–potthatstoodnear.
Thethreesoldierswanderedaboutforaminuteortwo,lookingforthem,andthenquietlymarchedoffaftertheothers.
'Aretheirheadsoff?'shoutedtheQueen.
'Theirheadsaregone,ifitpleaseyourMajesty!'thesoldiersshoutedinreply.
'That'sright!'shoutedtheQueen.'Canyouplaycroquet?'
Thesoldiersweresilent,andlookedatAlice,asthequestionwasevidentlymeantforher.
'Yes!'shoutedAlice.
'Comeon,then!'roaredtheQueen,andAlicejoinedtheprocession,wonderingverymuchwhatwouldhappennext.
'It's—it'saveryfineday!'saidatimidvoiceatherside.ShewaswalkingbytheWhiteRabbit,whowaspeepinganxiouslyintoherface.
'Very,'saidAlice:'—where'stheDuchess?'
'Hush!Hush!'saidtheRabbitinalow,hurriedtone.
Helookedanxiouslyoverhisshoulderashespoke,andthenraisedhimselfupontiptoe,puthismouthclosetoherear,andwhispered'She'sundersentenceofexecution.'
'Whatfor?'saidAlice.
'Didyousay"Whatapity!"?'theRabbitasked.
'No,Ididn't,'saidAlice:'Idon'tthinkit'satallapity.Isaid"Whatfor?"'
'SheboxedtheQueen'sears—'theRabbitbegan.Alicegavealittlescreamoflaughter.'Oh,hush!'
theRabbitwhisperedinafrightenedtone.'TheQueenwillhearyou!
Yousee,shecameratherlate,andtheQueensaid—'
'Gettoyourplaces!'shoutedtheQueeninavoiceofthunder,andpeoplebeganrunningaboutinalldirections,tumblingupagainsteachother;however,theygotsettleddowninaminuteortwo,andthegamebegan.
Alicethoughtshehadneverseensuchacuriouscroquet–groundinherlife;itwasallridgesandfurrows;theballswerelivehedgehogs,themalletsliveflamingoes,andthesoldiershadtodoublethemselvesupandtostandontheirhandsandfeet,tomakethearches.
ThechiefdifficultyAlicefoundatfirstwasinmanagingherflamingo:shesucceededingettingitsbodytuckedaway,comfortablyenough,underherarm,withitslegshangingdown,butgenerally,justasshehadgotitsnecknicelystraightenedout,andwasgoingtogivethehedgehogablowwithitshead,itWOULDtwistitselfroundandlookupinherface,withsuchapuzzledexpressionthatshecouldnothelpburstingoutlaughing:andwhenshehadgotitsheaddown,andwasgoingtobeginagain,itwasveryprovokingtofindthatthehedgehoghadunrolleditself,andwasintheactofcrawlingaway:besidesallthis,therewasgenerallyaridgeorfurrowinthewaywherevershewantedtosendthehedgehogto,and,asthedoubled–upsoldierswerealwaysgettingupandwalkingofftootherpartsoftheground,Alicesooncametotheconclusionthatitwasaverydifficultgameindeed.
Theplayersallplayedatoncewithoutwaitingforturns,quarrellingallthewhile,andfightingforthehedgehogs;andinaveryshorttimetheQueenwasinafuriouspassion,andwentstampingabout,andshouting'Offwithhishead!'or'Offwithherhead!'aboutonceinaminute.
Alicebegantofeelveryuneasy:tobesure,shehadnotasyethadanydisputewiththeQueen,butsheknewthatitmighthappenanyminute,'andthen,'thoughtshe,'whatwouldbecomeofme?
They'redreadfullyfondofbeheadingpeoplehere;thegreatwonderis,thatthere'sanyoneleftalive!'
Shewaslookingaboutforsomewayofescape,andwonderingwhethershecouldgetawaywithoutbeingseen,whenshenoticedacuriousappearanceintheair:itpuzzledherverymuchatfirst,but,afterwatchingitaminuteortwo,shemadeitouttobeagrin,andshesaidtoherself'It'stheCheshireCat:nowIshallhavesomebodytotalkto.'
'Howareyougettingon?'saidtheCat,assoonastherewasmouthenoughforittospeakwith.
Alicewaitedtilltheeyesappeared,andthennodded.
'It'snousespeakingtoit,'shethought,'tillitsearshavecome,oratleastoneofthem.'
Inanotherminutethewholeheadappeared,andthenAliceputdownherflamingo,andbegananaccountofthegame,feelingverygladshehadsomeonetolistentoher.
TheCatseemedtothinkthattherewasenoughofitnowinsight,andnomoreofitappeared.
'Idon'tthinktheyplayatallfairly,'Alicebegan,inratheracomplainingtone,'andtheyallquarrelsodreadfullyonecan'thearoneselfspeak—andtheydon'tseemtohaveanyrulesinparticular;atleast,ifthereare,nobodyattendstothem—andyou'venoideahowconfusingitisallthethingsbeingalive;forinstance,there'sthearchI'vegottogothroughnextwalkingaboutattheotherendoftheground—andIshouldhavecroquetedtheQueen'shedgehogjustnow,onlyitranawaywhenitsawminecoming!'
'HowdoyouliketheQueen?'saidtheCatinalowvoice.
'Notatall,'saidAlice:'she'ssoextremely—'JustthenshenoticedthattheQueenwasclosebehindher,listening:soshewenton,'—likelytowin,thatit'shardlyworthwhilefinishingthegame.'
TheQueensmiledandpassedon.
'WhoAREyoutalkingto?'saidtheKing,goinguptoAlice,andlookingattheCat'sheadwithgreatcuriosity.
'It'safriendofmine—aCheshireCat,'saidAlice:'allowmetointroduceit.'
'Idon'tlikethelookofitatall,'saidtheKing:'however,itmaykissmyhandifitlikes.'
'I'drathernot,'theCatremarked.
'Don'tbeimpertinent,'saidtheKing,'anddon'tlookatmelikethat!'HegotbehindAliceashespoke.
'Acatmaylookataking,'saidAlice.'I'vereadthatinsomebook,butIdon'trememberwhere.'
'Well,itmustberemoved,'saidtheKingverydecidedly,andhecalledtheQueen,whowaspassingatthemoment,'Mydear!Iwishyouwouldhavethiscatremoved!'
TheQueenhadonlyonewayofsettlingalldifficulties,greatorsmall.'Offwithhishead!'shesaid,withoutevenlookinground.
'I'llfetchtheexecutionermyself,'saidtheKingeagerly,andhehurriedoff.
Alicethoughtshemightaswellgoback,andseehowthegamewasgoingon,assheheardtheQueen'svoiceinthedistance,screamingwithpassion.
Shehadalreadyheardhersentencethreeoftheplayerstobeexecutedforhavingmissedtheirturns,andshedidnotlikethelookofthingsatall,asthegamewasinsuchconfusionthatsheneverknewwhetheritwasherturnornot.Soshewentinsearchofherhedgehog.
Thehedgehogwasengagedinafightwithanotherhedgehog,whichseemedtoAliceanexcellentopportunityforcroquetingoneofthemwiththeother:theonlydifficultywas,thatherflamingowasgoneacrosstotheothersideofthegarden,whereAlicecouldseeittryinginahelplesssortofwaytoflyupintoatree.
Bythetimeshehadcaughttheflamingoandbroughtitback,thefightwasover,andboththehedgehogswereoutofsight:'butitdoesn'tmattermuch,'thoughtAlice,'asallthearchesaregonefromthissideoftheground.'
Soshetuckeditawayunderherarm,thatitmightnotescapeagain,andwentbackforalittlemoreconversationwithherfriend.
WhenshegotbacktotheCheshireCat,shewassurprisedtofindquitealargecrowdcollectedroundit:therewasadisputegoingonbetweentheexecutioner,theKing,andtheQueen,whowerealltalkingatonce,whilealltherestwerequitesilent,andlookedveryuncomfortable.
ThemomentAliceappeared,shewasappealedtobyallthreetosettlethequestion,andtheyrepeatedtheirargumentstoher,though,astheyallspokeatonce,shefounditveryhardindeedtomakeoutexactlywhattheysaid.
Theexecutioner'sargumentwas,thatyoucouldn'tcutoffaheadunlesstherewasabodytocutitofffrom:thathehadneverhadtodosuchathingbefore,andhewasn'tgoingtobeginatHIStimeoflife.
TheKing'sargumentwas,thatanythingthathadaheadcouldbebeheaded,andthatyouweren'ttotalknonsense.
TheQueen'sargumentwas,thatifsomethingwasn'tdoneaboutitinlessthannotimeshe'dhaveeverybodyexecuted,allround.
(Itwasthislastremarkthathadmadethewholepartylooksograveandanxious.)
Alicecouldthinkofnothingelsetosaybut'ItbelongstotheDuchess:you'dbetteraskHERaboutit.'
'She'sinprison,'theQueensaidtotheexecutioner:'fetchherhere.'Andtheexecutionerwentofflikeanarrow.
TheCat'sheadbeganfadingawaythemomenthewasgone,and,bythetimehehadcomebackwiththeDuchess,ithadentirelydisappeared;sotheKingandtheexecutionerranwildlyupanddownlookingforit,whiletherestofthepartywentbacktothegame.
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